You know that old saying about expensive stuff ... if you have to ask how much it is, then you can't afford it. That's what I thought as I read your post, regarding the feasability of your proposed timeline. To me this sounds like a lot of work to get done in a fairly short, finite, time span, GC'd by a non-professional without long-standing (and on-going) relationships with all the inter-locking subs and trades. Your project probably doesn't come with the promise of additonal jobs for them over many years so you won't have the leverage a good GC would have to make the necessary, but impossible, things happen to keep such a complicated project on schedule. Is the end date a hope, or a hard date with a CO issued and move in readiness? If you could stand to have it carry on into the winter, then it would be more do-able, I think. The complications will come in integrating all the various tradesmen. For example, you're getting a new roof, but before the roof goes on it would be better to know exactly where the vent stacks for the new furnace and the new bath and kitchen are located. Yes, you can add them later, but you've a better chance at a no-leak roof if they're up before the roof guys get there. You're putting in radiant floor heating (love it BTW), but that means every single tradesman has to know where those lines are, or one gets punctured. Kitchens and baths are notorious for needing sustained, cooperative layers of tradesman. GC's will know which crews get along, which can be counted on to work the extra hour or two in order to prep for the next guy, etc. Do you have to do all this at once? (Regular readers here will know where I'm headed and can skip ahead....) I think old house renovations are best done after you've been in the house for some time. The ideas you have now, especially if you're not working with an experienced old-house minded architect, are surely not going to be as good as what the house will tell you is needed after you've been there for some time. The other reaon to slow things down is that old houses are (in my opinion) must vulnerable to to regrettable owner-caused (though entirely well-meant) damage when they renovated at the beginning of the ownership. Take, just for example, your plan to install radiant floor heating. If you have more than one story, that means you'll be pulling the ceiling of the first floor for access. What the heck you say, you're already planning on pulling the plaster in the walls for insulation. Okay, but I didn't hear you say you'd need to have the walls replastered. Perhaps you think it doesn't matter: sheet rock, even skim-coated sheetrock, vs old plaster, same difference, right? Um, no. Plaster is a lovely-to-live-with amenity that many people just casually disregard, not realizing how intergral it is to their buildings. And you won't know this until you've owned and lived with an old house for awhile and studied the unique concerns that old houses raise for thoughtful, respectful, owners. And of course, there's the money. I would plan on having at least 75% more cash on hand than the wildest estimates you have if you go ahead with this amibitious plan to get it all done by a date-certain. All old house projects have the virtual certainty that more funds will be necessary than you planned (or hoped), but combined with a tight deadline, sometime the only thing that will get you there is extra fees for overtime, express shipping, replacement materials, more expensive solutions, etc. With old houses, there's always a dynamic, usually reciprocal, relationship between time and money: more of one, less of another. Sometimes, more of both. Almost never less of both, alas. And, if you start out with modest experience, tight funds and a very amibitious deadline, you're only setting yourself up for misery and stress. (Read some of the "I hate my house" threads as cautionary tales.) But as discouraging as I know I must sound, I don't want to discourage you from using this resource. Please consider this an invitation to keep coming back for help and encouragement. Welcome to the company of old-house afficionadas. Molly~

Sounds like you have a lovely project. With any of the dark finishes I like to have integral metals -- not coated finishes though some are very good. Rocky Mountain Hardware makes bronze in several different tones and their quality is tops. I've used them in two homes now and while some of their styles are stylized they have a Mushroom Knob (p 2 of the knobs) in a coppery bronze that I just love. They would be gorgeous with black, as you'll see. I've ordered them from Cape Cod Brass twice now and used CC for all my hardware -- they have a range of other good brands. Re F&B, I've worked extensively with their paint and it's my go-to brand for interior work. Depending on location, the Farrow's Cream can look like a parchment yellow or much more aggressively egg yolky. Alternately House White is very warm as is New White, which has an umber undertone and White Tie is an elegant ivory. Love their coatings, great to work with and the color complexity is terrific. They hold up beautifully and while people color match them that loses the complexity of undertone in paint with 8-12 pigments when color matching with only 3-4. Only 1 other paint has a similar surface quality in the matte (Estate Emulsion) finish and I really appreciate the effect on old walls. If there are plaster walls in your home you will see that most. I love a pull down faucet and Rohl has dark finishes in some of their styles though their bridge faucet is classic. Good luck with your choices! Would love to see the exterior paint job you mentioned if you feel like posting a pic. I so respect restoration and preservation of our visual heritage. Here is a link that might be useful: Rocky Mountain Hardware

You're on the right track - the more you learn, the better. "This Old House" is well worth watching, and all their remodels are online. A source of tried and true (if unimaginative) ideas are in house plans; there are many online and it pays to spend time looking at how traffic flow, cabinets, entrances, etc are handled. That said, nothing turns off a contractor faster than an armchair expert, so remain open to suggestions. Given your stated like of modern/industrial, I imagine you have have a good idea of what you want, so you might not need a designer, and perhaps not an architect. Hiring a structural engineer for a few hours to look around and to get their thoughts and advice is a great idea. Realtors, remodeling, contractors, codes, financing - it's all a "Wild West" under-regulated mine field - listen to your people skills, your gut instincts, and common sense.

If you want to put them to good use, check to see if Habitat for Humanity has a Habitat Restore near you. I think that they will pick-up so maybe they will send a volunteer around even if not nearby. There may be other organizations with similar operations.